This invention relates to a machine for making liquid or semi-liquid food products, in particular ice cream or soft ice cream type products.
In the ice cream trade in question, (soft) ice cream machines are known which comprise a mixing and cooling cylinder associated with a refrigeration system and equipped with a stirrer.
The mixing and cooling cylinder allows making the finished product (ice cream or soft ice cream) from a basic mixture supplied by another container.
The basic mixture is supplied to the mixing and cooling cylinder by means of containers, that is to say, by flexible supply containers of a type known as “bag in box”, which basically comprise a flexible wall provided with an opening (which can be pierced) to allow the product out.
These flexible supply containers are configured to deform as the product is tapped out of them. In other words, their volume depends on the quantity of product they contain.
Operators frequently complain that it is difficult to control the supply of basic mixture which all too often runs out during peak working hours when a particularly large number of customers are being served and staff are busy with their duties.
When the basic mixture inside the container runs out, the machine is temporarily down, that is to say, remains inoperative until the empty basic mixture supply container is replaced with a new container, full of mixture.
Thus, a need which is felt particularly strongly in the sector concerned is that of being able to switch in a very quick, easy and reliable manner from one supply container to another, thereby avoiding prolonged machine down times.
More in detail, a need which is felt particularly strongly in the sector concerned is that of enabling the operator to quickly change the supply container when it is empty.